Young girl’s generousity brings surprise for St. Anthony boy’s birthday

The Aurora

Published: Jul 04, 2017 at midnight

Updated: Sep 30, 2017 at 7:05 a.m.

After winning another bike at Raleigh’s Canada Day celebration, nine-year-old Brooklyn Ash decided to give it away to St. Anthony’s Andrew Gould for his 10th birthday. Andrew was the lucky recipient after a number of parents and family members had made requests to get the bike in a post Brooklyn’s mother had made on St. Anthony classifieds.

It was the second time her name had been drawn for a free bike, and it was the third bike she had to her name.

Charlene Ash, Brooklyn’s mother, said after seeing her pop’s crowded shed, her daughter decided she would give the bike away.

“It was Brooklyn’s idea,” Charlene said. “She said, ‘I got three bikes, a scooter and quad, and what can I do with them all?’

“Instead of letting it sit in the shed and collect dust, she was going to give it away.”

Monday afternoon Charlene posted a picture of Brooklyn with the bike to St. Anthony classifieds on Facebook. In the post, she offered the bike to “any boy/girl in need of one.”

Within minutes the post began to fill up with both praise and requests.

Parents and community members across the Northern Peninsula began talking up Charlene’s notifications with public comments and private messages.

“Several messages said they were proud of me for doing it, proud of how my parents raised me,” Brooklyn said.

On the comment section of Charlene’s classifieds post alone, 15 requests were made for young kids hoping for a new bike. While they had

originally set to wait a few days before deciding, within seven hours Brooklyn had made up her mind who would get the bike.

Andrew Gould, who had just celebrated his 10th birthday, was chosen as the lucky recipient.

“It was a tough decision, but when I realized it was his birthday, I decided to give it to Andrew,” Brookyln said.

When Charlene and Brooklyn pulled up to the Gould’s household in St. Anthony on Tuesday afternoon, Andrew and his parents were already at the door waiting. The bike had been tied with happy birthday balloons to mark the occasion.

“It was a big surprise when he got picked because so many people were asking about the bike,” said Sherry Gould, Andrew’s mother. “He’s never had anything like it before.”

Andrew was nearly speechless as he handled the bike and thanked Brooklyn. His mother said the next step now is to get him a helmet.

Charlene was pleased with her daughter’s generousity and is hopeful she continues with more kind acts in the future.